This presentation will discuss the use of the multiliteracies approach as a viable solution to overcome the bifurcation of FL programs. This bifurcation constitutes a problem for both undergraduate and graduate students. It often represents a barrier for undergraduate students as they progress from lower level classes that focus mainly on language to upper level classes, which focus on literature and textual analysis. It also constitutes a problem for the professional development of graduate students who often are not trained to teach literature classes. By adopting the multiliteracies approach, FL programs can reconcile the teaching of 'communication' with the teaching of 'textual analysis' (Kern 2003) and thus provide a more coherent approach that serves better both students and instructors. The presentation will provide practical suggestions on how to implement this approach in the Italian classroom and make a literacy-oriented instruction feasible in foreign language teaching.